WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en
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In the main lesson, you practiced finding
the main idea in
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each paragraph of a piece of writing.
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You learned that main ideas tell you what
a paragraph is about.
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While each paragraph has a main idea, an entire
piece of writing has a larger main idea as well.
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This is the central point or argument the
author makes and supports
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with details and evidence.
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It is also called the thesis.
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Finding the thesis helps you learn more from
what you read because it helps you understand
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the point the author is trying to make and compare
that point of view with other texts you read
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or with your own opinion.
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In this extension, you will practice identifying
the thesis in a piece of writing.
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You will read a writing sample and annotate
the thesis.
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To begin, choose one of the starter documents,
and make a copy.
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Update the document’s name.
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Then, read the title of the article.
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The title gives you an idea of the topic of
the article.
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The topic is different from the main idea
-- it's who or what the article is about,
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but it isn't the main point the author is
making and supporting with details.
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Highlight the title, and insert a comment saying
what the topic is.
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Next, read the first and last paragraphs of
the article.
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They give you clues about the main idea because
they are where the author introduces and
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wraps up an argument and develops ideas about the
topic.
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Select the first paragraph,
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and insert a comment.
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Explain the thesis of the paragraph and how
it relates to the topic.
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Follow the same steps for the last paragraph.
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Then, read the entire article.
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Highlight details in the article that are related
to the topic.
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These are the details explaining
who,
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what,
where,
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when,
and why.
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Using a different color, highlight sentences
where the author gives an opinion
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about the topic.
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With another color, highlight
any ideas or details
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that are repeated or emphasized
by the author.
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Go back to the beginning of the article.
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Is there a sentence that all the details you
highlighted support?
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That's the thesis.
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It might also be at the end of the piece.
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If you can’t find a sentence that clearly
states the thesis, it could be implied.
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An implied thesis is a central point or main
idea not directly stated in the article.
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You'll need to figure out the main idea
based on what you read.
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At the top of your document, write a sentence
describing the thesis of the article
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in your own words.
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Nice work!
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You identified the topic, the main idea, and
supporting details of the article.
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If you’d like, follow the steps again for
another starter project.
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Continue identifying main ideas through annotation
to improve your reading comprehension.
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Now, it’s your turn:
Make a copy of the starter project,
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and add your name to the title.
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Identify the topic of the article,
highlight and comment on important details
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in the title and body of the article,
and write a sentence describing the thesis.